


A Fathers Path

by DoomNightAt12



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: Children, Death avoids questions, Fluff, Gen, Mentions of injures, Notfic, Open Ending, Parenthood, Plot idea, Spirit takes a class in better fathering, Supernatural Creatures, Written because I like Death and Spirit bonding over Fatherhood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-26 15:51:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21376648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoomNightAt12/pseuds/DoomNightAt12
Summary: Spirit recalls his strange friendship with his enigma superior, who became a part of his everyday life, and may or may not have been a supernatural creature.After time, they reach a point where they're forced apart, and there are two paths depending on who has to pick up the pieces.
Kudos: 15





	A Fathers Path

**Author's Note:**

> A yonks old idea which I thought I'd lost, written because I wanted Death/Spirit fatherly bonding. Because this is mostly the plot outline, there not much of the shipping to be found. There was also one segment of dialog I omitted because it was literally just my desire for Soul/Maka/Kid shipping.
> 
> So uh, enjoy more of my self indulgent ideas!

A velvet box twists and turns, fingers dancing around its surface with nervous energy. Against the bar the man’s knee bounces, body twisting left and right on the worn stool. Despite it being another common late night at the bar, Spirit Albarn was feeling off from his usual self.

His head snaps up as the door creaks open, signalling the arrival of the other usual late night visitor. A tall man dressed in a dark trench coat, whose gold eyes peered out from his short cut black hair that had gone white in peculiar horizontal stripes. He made his way to the same worn bar perch he’d sat on for every other night he’d been there, and greeted his friend with a grin and a wave.

“Hey, hi there, hows it going?”

Spirit grinned back, leaning against the bar. He gestured for his friend to come closer, and when the man obliged, he held up that little velvet box.

“I’m going to do it.”

Death looked puzzled, until he placed his fast to him palm in realisation.

“So this is where your bonus’ having been going to.”

“This, and all the baby prep.”

He tossed the box over so Death could have a better look, all while grinning like an idiot.

“This is gonna be the thing to make her fall in love with me all over again, I swear.” His face lit up, “And if it all goes to plan, not long after those wedding bells charm, we’ll have a precious bundle of joy in our arms.”

Spirit suddenly sat up, giddy with nervous energy. His fiancé was the light of his life, and making things official between them would be his dream come true. Well, second dream after the perfect career he landed, working under the enigmatic and overly cheerful Death Mors. Said man stared into the gem of the engagement ring, before sliding it back along the bar. He was a man of many words, but all mostly on others or random things he knew about excessively. He could talk to you for hours on end about the history and use of unique weapons, but ask him what he does on the weekend and he avoids the subject.

* * *

So he goes into work the next day and gives a thumbs up to show he was successful, before just gushing about Kami and his future child. Time moves ahead, with the wedding and eventual birth of Maka. The couple deals with the new baby at home, however Death suddenly arrives, and quickly takes to caring for the baby while the parents rest. It becomes a common occurrence that Death is their first choice in babysitter, since he’d drop anything to be with the Albarns.

But of course there is the growing incidents of Spirit going and spending time elsewhere, particularly with women. The rift forms over a few years until Kami has had enough

Spirit wakes to find Kami gone, and the divorce papers on the kitchen table, along with a note about how she’s gone traveling, and if he doesn’t sign she’s forged his signature to send in. Spirit is shocked and sits down with his sudden REGRETS. Maka doesn’t know whats going on but Papa is sad and Mama is gone. Having see Kami’s resignation letter and noting Spirit didn’t come to work, Death visits and tries to comfort him and Spirit realises he has to do his best to continue on.

* * *

It's a pleasant afternoon when Spirit finds himself lounging on a park bench, watching his daughter climb up and down the play equipment. She yells and points at other children as some form of game is devised, and Spirit gives a small laugh at just how like her mother she was. Beautiful, and in command.

Kami still kept touch, at least somewhat, in the form of postcards addressed to Maka. Wild locations from the ends of the Earth, with words of encouragement and well wishes for the daughter she left behind. (Spirit refused to admit he was searching each one for signs she’d forgiven him)

He’s close to dozing off when a hand rests on his shoulder, which he gazes up to find belongs to that same old friend. Neither say anything for a while, before Death moved to sit next to him.

“Spirit… you know, I’ve really admired you.”

The red head doesn’t move, a sudden jolt holding him in place. This sounded personal.

“I’ve _really_ admired you, and your family, the love you have for them. It…it inspired me.”

Rather personal, but also strange. He dares to press for more. “What do you mean? Me? An inspiration?”

Spirit almost laughed, but Death’s face was serious. He could see Maka waving her arms at a boy in some play battle.

“After seeing the light your daughter has brought to you, I thought I’d like to try for that too. My own creation. A new light for my life. But it seems it’s an experience that’s best when shared.”

Spirit let his jaw drop. While it was still the usual cryptic speak, the implications there were that he wanted a child. (_HAD a child?_) There was nothing that this man had shared about his life outside of work and visiting, no family or hobbies, nothing. For all Spirit knew, Death stopped existing when no one was looking at him, so for him to suddenly claim to have had a child of his own was beyond comprehension.

“So… which one is yours?” Spirit asks in a semi-joking manner, a nervous twitch in his face, but he sees Death’s arm rise to point.

“He should be easy to spot. Look, Maka already seems to get along.”

Spirit thinks he’s going to have a heart attack. He focuses on the equipment, staring at the black haired boy with Maka, only this time seeing three white lines on the left side of his hair. The more he squints to focus, the more he notices. Three stripes, a blank expression, gold eyes that didn’t seem to focus on anything, the child was literally a miniature version of Death himself.

_‘If Death had even been a child.’_ Spirit was beyond belief at this point. Standing by Maka the boy was similar in height, alluding that they could be similar in age. Several years he’s known Death, and several years the man has had a secret child he’s told no one about and hidden from the world. What goes on in that man’s head should be one of the world greatest wonders.

“He have a name?”

“Kid”

With a sigh Spirit hung his head. There it was. “Really? Death, of anything, you named your kid… Kid.”

Death laughed, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

“Don’t just laugh, you’re not serious, are you?” Spirit knew the answer already. 

* * *

Time passes with the new knowledge of Death's son, and Death usual visits now are like play dates too. Maka and Kid get along for the most part, as much as two children would.

One night, Death and Kid arrive at Spirit's house in poor shape, blood and bruises all over. He offers to take them to the hospital, but Death is adamant not to. When the little ones are asleep, Death opens up a bit to Spirits for the first time in ages. He talks about being inspired years, what feels like centuries ago, and had another child, who went down a wrong path and became estranged. While Death moved on, his son Asura didn't, and after all these years he's returned with a vengeance. 

As they sit together, Spirit watches carefully as some of the cuts begin to heal over. They spend a long time with each other, and eventually vow to always be there for each other, if anything was to even happen to either of them.

* * *

**PATH A:** **Death disappears.**

It's just as the container lid snaps does he hear the knocking. 8 beats at the front door, signalling a late night guest. Spirit makes a few guesses at who, as he makes his way over, but on opening the door he sees no one. A murmur takes his attention down, to where he spies a familiar small boy.

"Kid? What are you doing here so late?"

The boy’s gold eyes turn to state up.

"Father said that if anything was wrong, I should come to you."

Spirit smirks, thinking of how Death put him at the top of the list.

"well? What's wrong?"

"Father hasn't come home."

Spirit blinked. "... You haven't seen him?"

The boy shook his head, brows furring. "It's not like him. I waited eight days and he's still not around. It's not right at all."

Confusion set in, seeing it was unlike Death not to tell people where he was going, (NOTE: show this in earlier chapters) even with his awful habit of being as vague as possible when it came to the details. He pulled out his phone, dialing the familiar number (also note about spirit and death phone chatting) and pushing the phone to his ear. As the dialtone began, he motioned towards the boy. (Note: mention death has been absent from work)

"ah, come in come in."

With a small nod Kid shuffled in, an spirit shut the door behind him as the ringing continued. A few more moments and there was a click, before the automated message began.

"the person you are dialing is unavailable, please hand up and try-"

"Figures."

Spirit scratched his head and sighed, for as much of an enigma the man was_, it was totally out of character to vanish both from work and family life without a single word. Spirit had assumed he was possibly on a holiday for once in his life._

"I guess I'll have a look tomorrow. In the meanwhile..."

Eight days he’d been gone. Spirit stared at Kid. Kid stared back. It was an awkward moment, as Spirit had never connected with the strange child of the strange man, his gold eyes staring with an unusual knowing to them. He struggled for something to say, until the sound of a rumbling stomach broke the silence. Kid looked away, as if embarrassed, but Spirit had to laugh.

"Supper it is then."

One microwaved bowl of lasagne later, Kid was sitting at one end of the kitchen table, while Spirit tried his phone again at the other.

_"The person you are calling is unav-" _

"What else did you even do in life other than work and show up at my house?"

Death was an enigma who was impossible read and did what he wanted on a whim, but he was still dedicated to both work and family. I was said he'd never taken a day off since he started, and no one even knows how long ago he started showing up at work.

"Where would you go?”

A clank brought Spirit out of his thoughts, his gaze moving to the child about fall asleep face first in the bowl. With a smile, he got up and moved over to him, lifting him out of the chair and carrying him over to the couch.

........

The next morning, Spirit woke with his usual alarm, following the routine of setting out breakfast and waking Maka. He explained to her where he was going, and that Kid was company for the meanwhile. Kid himself was awake, though he mumbled something about not sleeping evenly as he stared at the ceiling. Spirit asked for his address, as oddly visits had only ever been one way trips between the friends, Death magically finding where Spirit had lived. He calls Sid and asks for him to babysit, and then heads off.

......

From the outside, Spirit could already tell it wasn't a normal place. More like an artists impression of a 'normal' house, with the trim lawn, picket fence, and blank facade all looking straight out of a photo. The only piece of personal touch was a small skull ornament behind a bush, hiding the main key.

Inside bared the same kind of impression, with everything seeming untouched. Generic photos, slightly dusty surfaces, empty fridge, cupboards, bathroom, bedroom. There was nothing that would ever show that a man and his son lived there. The lack of clothes, entertainment, personal effects, how did these two live? He almost began to guess that he’d hallucinated their existence.

If anything, Spirit knew even the most paranoid people would need documents. Proof of the reality they had. Bank details, bill accounts, passports, birth certificates, receipts, anything! He would tear the house apart looking. Under furniture, Attic space, back shed, buried, something somewhere!

.....

In the end, Spirit returned empty handed. With a sigh he drops his keys on the table and takes a seat. The soft sound of Maka running up to him with bare feet draws his eye. She stares with her usual determination, pinching his coat sleave.

“What’s up sweety?”

A small pout formed, “Kid spent the day moving things around now my DVDs are out of order, and I can’t get in my room cause everything's on the floor.”

Spirit sighed.

* * *

Spirit now finds himself having to care for Kid, as well as hunting for any trace of Death. He asks around work, mailmen, neighbors, anyone who might have seen him, however he comes to the striking realisation that he can't describe Death, and doesn't even know what he looks like. He invites Sid and Naigus over, and tells them about the situation. He describes how he can't even draw the man, he's just a black human shaped blob. Sid suggests asking Kid to draw him, but when they bring him over, what he draws looks like a tall spiky monster wearing a skull mask.

(Also, BlackStar is Sid's adopted child, and ends up being a big trouble instigator for the three children. )

Without any leads, Spirit can only return to his usual life. He now has to find a way to gain legal care over Kid, knowing that an undocumented child would just get lost in the system. He files a missing person report for Death, but mostly has to describe Kid as he remembers Father and Son were alike. Kid doesn’t seem all too phased by his fathers disappearance, but Spirit is having to learn all about his quirks and habits. He doesn’t eat much, but when he does it need to be presented right. Infact he demands so much to be symmetrical. Naigus offers a free health check, being a local GP, but she discovers in short that's not what a normal human should be like, saying shes not sure what she'd find if she did further exams. 

One night when the children are older and Maka is away, Spirit asks what Kid remembers of his father, though adamantly apologizing if he didn’t want to talk. Kid is surprised Spirit didn’t ask sooner. He says Spirit doesn’t have to believe in what he says, since Death was just as evasive as with anyone, along with the absurdness of what he may say. But he says he believes Death wasn’t human, and in turn he probably wasn’t entirely human. He speaks of Death never eating, and only drinking for entertainment. He recalls the memory of the Asura attack, and how Death healed most of his injuries by the time they got to Spirit's house.

Maka, Kid and BlackStar all start school together, and meet Soul, Tsubaki, Liz and Patty.

....

One day after school, Kid disappears, being gone for several days and causing Spirit to freak out. Kid then casually reappears, saying it didn't feel like he was gone that long. When pressed further, he admits to have met with his father again.

(Death bobbed, glee somehow evident in the black of his eye holes.

"Those stripes are as cute as ever~"

"Please don't bring those up."

"I was afraid you'd grow out of them"

"You mean I could have?!"

Kid frowned, but kept his composure, tucking his hand in his pockets and tilting his head up.

"So, why exactly did you disappear? "

Death was quite, bobbing more in contemplation. After a moment he straightened up.

"Well, you see, the job I had with Spirit wasn't my only work, and it just happened I got called away to do that job and have been busy since."

Kid gave him a few seconds, but when the story didn't continue he sighed and rubbed his face.

"Still too vague!!"

He'd never get a clear answer from him.

“Part of me hoped you’d go on to be a normal person, since there was every chance you could have grown to be a standard human. But as you are now, it seems you haven’t let go of me.”

”Why the hell would I?! You're my father!”))

* * *

**PATH B: Spirit Dies.**

Spirit pushes Death out of the way of a speeding truck, being hit himself. Death laments about his time on earth, family/friends, the sheer fact he could have survived the hit, and that he should have told Spirit such an accident wouldn’t have hurt him much. There was so much he should have told him. He see’s Spirits soul slipping out, and knows his time is near.

He picks up Maka and Kid and takes them to the hospital. They’re told Spirit isn’t going to survive, so they ask to be with him. As they sit with him, Maka asks whats coming out of his chest, and Death explains soul sight. He explains that if she wishes, he can reap his soul and keep it safe, until a day where they can bring him back. Maka agrees, so Death take his soul. Death is the only one authorities can speak to since he was closest.

They try to contact Kami, so she can come back for Maka, but shes totally off the grid and can’t be sourced. Death understand the system would shuffle Maka off else where, so he does his best to earn custody, having to forge enough documents to make himself seem like a responsible human. Since the same trouble as PATH A has cropped up in the other world, Death still needs to go back, but this path he takes Kid and Maka with him.

On the other side, Maka grows up to be a weapons specialist, aiming to one day be able to forge Spirit's soul into a weapon. However Asura has been causing problems for both sides, and Maka has to choose between returning to the human world forever, or remaining in the other world. 


End file.
